I have a question about pills like Zoloft, Paxil, Prozac and the like. . .
If they work to suppress the bad feelings, depressions anxiety, anger etc, – wouldn’t they also work to inhibit good feelings such as joy? Thus, one would be even-keeled, but lacking emotions?
This said, I understand that for some this may be a better alternative than not taking them at all. . .
Actually, they release greater amounts of seratonin, the feel-good drug. It makes you feel a whole lot better.
Someone will be along with a cite shortly.
I am not sure why you think it would do all that.
An SRI does not simply negate all negative emotions. Depression itself is not necessarily a negative emotional experience. In fact many sufferers would describe depression as an emotional void.
Consider that depressive drugs such as marijuana are taken recreationally by many people. I am not saying it is exactly the same but consider for a moment what it would be like to live life massively stoned. You might enjoy it but more likely you would find it grossly interferes with your ability to function and enjoy life. Alongside may will likely be feelings of worthlessness or impending doom. The overt negative emotions you are thinking of like sadness and anger are in response to that state.
Negative emotional states are more of a response to the depressive state and vary significantly between individuals. Some of those suffering from depression do respond with a general anger at the world so here an SRI might act to lessen anger. On the other hand there are others who don’t care enough to get angry so an antidepressant could actually increase that negative response in some circumstances.
Depressed people don’t experience a whole lot of joy so its hard to see that being supressed. Yes, the SRI could have a negative effect on natural serotonin production over time but taking it doesn’t hold serotonin levels a constant, it just increases them.
I took Celexa for a brief period (2 months) and it did make me exactly this way.
I hate you! I’m divorcing you and running off with your best friend!
Oh, thats nice dear.
Honey, Ed McMahon is here, we just won the Publishers!
Oh, thats nice dear.
YMMV but in my personal experience I had almost no emotion at all. I was pretty content sitting on a couch staring at a wall.
NP: Opeth - Blackwater Park
In my experience it was not so much that I was having any “negative” emotions repressed but that the Zoloft was taking the extreme edge off of them long enough for me to complete therapy and move on with my life. It certainly did not repress my ability to laugh or feel happy. It just sort of smoothed out the edges.
However, my situation was one of trying to deal with a severe trauma and, at that time, I needed the Zoloft in order to keep on an even keel every day. Once I felt I had dealt with the trauma, I discontinued the Zoloft.
SSRIs are based on the theory that depression (as well as other mental disorders) involve a chemical imbalance. By suppressing the reuptake of serotonin, more serotonin remains in the brain. The shortage of serotonin is theoretically a large component of depression. Serotonin is supposed to make one happy. So, in answer to the question, if anything, one would feel happier. The mechanism is such that in no way can it take the edge off of being happy. They don’t directly suppress or inhibit any feelings, but merely compensate for a chemical imbalance which causes the depression.